Pilot Joe Duff and the Trike (A passenger sits
in the backpack seat on this non-training flight)

The new October 10 departure date gives the young crane colts get few more training
flights to help to build their flight endurance. The delay helps the crew, too. They
get an extra three days to finish important tasks before they leave. Then all that's
left is to hope for good migration weather. Before you read on, what do you think
some of these "getting ready" tasks are?

The pilots and ground crew do more than train and tend to the cranes. They must also
build or repair the travel pens (enclosures) that will keep the birds safe at the
stopover sites where they spend the nights along the way. They must be sure to have
everything they need to keep planes pens, trailers, vehicles and motor homes running
in top condition on the 1200-mile journey. A total o 38 possible stopovers have been
arranged for along the migration path. These sites are from 20 to 60 miles apart.
Each site has to be in readiness too. It will take many, many people working together
to carry out this migration plan. Later we'll learn more about the duties of the
support team. Now let's hear OM Administrative Director Heather Ray describe the
duties of the pilots who will lead the birds in the 350-pound trikes: